Millions of people enjoy sewing as a hobby or profession. Many people enjoy designing clothes, quilts, and other sewing crafts that offer an outlet for creative energy. Many others enjoy spending time creating sewn items from patterns and other items. For many, sewing provides enjoyment a beauty in their lives.
Sewing clothes, quilts, crafts, etc., almost always involves the tedious task of measuring and cutting various pieces of fabric to be used in a project. Many times, these multiple pieces of fabric must be cut in various sizes and shapes as required by a sewing pattern or otherwise by a desired design. Rotary cutters and cutting mats are often used to make measuring and cutting fabric easier. However, it is still a challenge to hold the fabric during cutting to make sure the correct size, shape, and orientation of the material for each piece is achieved, as fabric has a tendency to slide and move while being cut.
Sewing rulers can be used along with sewing mats to size some pieces, provide a straight edge for cutting, and to attempt to hold the fabric still against the cutting mat or other underlying surface while cutting. Holding the ruler with pressure while making sure the fabric doesn't move and working the cutter can be difficult, particularly when the cuts require trading hands or turning around the table. Also, if pressure is removed from the sewing ruler, the fabric can slip, bunch, or otherwise move out of position, requiring the sewer to reposition the piece of fabric.
Some magnetic rulers and cutting mats have been created for use with paper cutting and scrapbooking, such as one found at: http://www.weronthenet.com/magnetic_mat_tutorial. However, such rulers and mats are not suitable for use in sewing because the magnetic material used in the ruler and mat are relatively weak magnets and are not strong enough to hold multiple layers of fabric in place. Additionally, rulers used in scrapbooking are narrow and made from metal. Metal rulers are not transparent and are unsuitable for use with fabrics where the ability to see through the ruler for precision placement of marks and seams is critical.
Tools and methods that make sewing and other crafts easier, more productive, and fun are desirable.